Jaqueline
by Rishandra
Summary: Jaqueline lives in the same house as Dorian Gray, and rumor has it that she's his housekeeper. Who is she? Will she join the Leauge? PG13 for violence and blood.
1. The portrait

Disclaimer: I don't own Lxg, or anything else that may have inspierd this story. I do, however, own my imagination, and I'm satisfied with that.  
  
She was polishing the silver when he came in. The look on his face was grim, and she swallowed the words about to be spoken. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the chair. The silver bowl she polished fell to the floor with a bang.  
  
"Where is it? What did you do with it, girl?"  
  
"What are you talking about? What do you mean?" His look, when he heard these words became even darker, if such a thing was possible at the moment.  
  
"The portrait, girl! The portrait! What did you do with it?" "I have not touched it, master Gray." He let go of her arm, and turned to the stranger in the doorway behind them, the stranger he had gotten a glimpse of in the reflection of her eyes.  
  
"What do you want?" The stranger merely smiled. His face was covered in a mask, of silver mabye, or another shiny metal. What little she could see of his face told of a person with a big scar. It looked like he had been burned, badly. When he spoke, his voice was that of a man with experience of the world, a man like master Gray.  
  
"I have your precious portrait. An ugly sight, if I may say so." She did not see his master Gray's reaction, because she was busy with getting the silver bowl from under the table, but Gray's voice shook with surpressed anger as he answered.  
  
"What it looks like is none of your buisness. Why have you taken it, and what," he said as he drew his cord, "what can stop me from killing you?" The stranger did not answer, but simply smiled, and walked over to her, placed the bowl in her hands at the table, and kissed her. She stiffened, not moving, not reacting. Gray reacted. He grabbed the stranger, and pulled him away from her. His face was now as it always were, calm and collected.  
  
"I don't appreciate people kissing my maid against her will. Jacqueline, go to your room. Stay there until I say otherwise. You can continue on your work later." She bowed, and walked out of the room, staring at the floor. She could feel the stranger's eyes upon her. It made her feel dirty. On her way upstairs, she avoided to look on the wall.  
  
Her room was not unpleasant, she had made sure of that, because she knew times like this one would come, times when she was unwanted or unwilling to face the company Dorian was in. A large bookshelf was next to a window facing the street. Her bed stood in the darkest corner, and a dresser stood next to the door. In the window- seat, she had stashed a lot of pillows, and on the table next to the window, three or four books supported a candle. A similar table, only with more books, stood by the bed. She layed down on the bed, not daring, nor willing to think about the strange visit dowstairs, an soon, she was asleep.  
  
"I will come back, master Dorian, with more infomation about our plan."  
  
"I cannot wait," was the sarcastic reply as Dorian followed his visitor to the door.  
  
"I think you can. I trust you and your maid, so I will come unmasked the next time. I will, however, bring the mask, so you can identify me."  
  
"One thing, if we shall work together..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Leave my maid alone." The stranger did not reply, he walked out the door and disappeared into the London-fog.  
  
Dorian Gray walked over to the door and listened.She was asleep, at least her breathing sounded like that when she slept. He pushed the door open, and sat down on her bed, stroking her hair. When she turned around in her sleep, he could see stripes on her cheeks. That bastard made her cry... a moment, his face twisted in anger. He will never do that again, he wowed, leaving the room.  
  
When she came down the next day, Dorian was already awake. She felt guilty for being late, but had not slept well during the night. All she could think about was the stranger. She felt guilty that she hadn't pulled away, just frozen, like some dumb schoolgirl...  
  
"Jacqueline, he will not bother you again. If he ever tries, call my name, and I will be there." Jacqueline didn't know what else to do, so she embraced him.  
  
"Thank you..." She let go of him, and sat down blushing. Dorian knew she had given him a priceless gift, for rarely did Jacqueline let anybody touch her, and he had never seen her touch anyone at her own will. A hug was something you would treasure when she gave it to you.  
  
"I will continue on the silver, Dorian."  
  
"You do that, Jacqueline. I need to gather my thoughts."  
  
"Romeo and Juliet is in the third shelf on the right. Hamlet is on your room."  
  
"I did not think of reading a book." Jacqueline looked him in his eyes.  
  
"In my bedroom, under the bed. The loose plank." Dorian nodded, and walked out. Jacqueline sat in the kitchen, polishing the silver and humming. She did not notice Dorian leaving the building, or mabye she didn't want too. All she did was polishing the silver, and when she was done, she put it back in place. When the darkness sorounded the house, Jacqueline knew Dorian would not come back that night. She went to bed, not waiting, but listening to the silence.  
  
"Ready, professor... recording."  
  
Jacqueline stood in the doorway to her room, looking down on the main room of the house. The room was filled with bookcases, and had two stories, sort of. The second one went with the wall, behind the bookcases, like a path of some kind. She listened to the professors plan, and smiled at Dorians comments, like "growl".  
  
"Bomb voyage." At these words, Jacqueline pulled back into her room. So he would kill. It was'nt a surprise, and she knew he would do it without hesitation. It had to be done. At least it was different form when... Jacqueline shook the thoughts of her and sat down to read.  
  
"Then the plan is finished. The next time we meet, I'll shoot your library to pieces."  
  
"I can't wait."  
  
"I bet you can't. Farewell, master Gray." Dorian watched M dissapear in the fog, and walked up to the mainroom, avoiding to look on the blank spot on his wall.  
  
"Jacqueline! We're going to rearrange the library!"  
  
They worked in silence, Jacqueline not knowing what to say, Dorian not willing to say anything. After a while, Jacqueline turned in the ladder and looked at him.  
  
"Do you trust the professor?"  
  
"Not even as far as I can throw him, and he trust me just as much. He had his men asking about us for weeks befor he stole the portrait."  
  
"What did he get out of that?"  
  
"The knowledge that's on the streets. It is mostly what they have heard, rumors and sayings, and none of it's close to the truth. He thinks he knows much about us, Jack. Do not let him suspect anything else."  
  
"Of course not, Dorian."  
  
"Back to work, Jack, back to work."  
  
They were both satisfied with the results. All the valuable and rare books were safe, and yet the bookcases were filled.  
  
"They will be here in a minute. To your room." Jacqueline quickly walked upstairs, and entered her room as she heard some talking outside.  
  
"Charming place. Does Jack the Ripper live here?" Jacqueline smiled. It wasn't far off. She opened her dresser, and took out a black cloak, black gloves and two sooted steal-knives. Anything to hide in shadows. It would certainly come to fighting, and anything to weaken this M. No one would check the bodies anyway. She smiled as she pulled the hood over her head.  
  
"Killing time..." She slipped into the shadows outside her room as one of M's soldiers came. He stared at her direction, not sure if he had seen anything. He didn't notice a boy with blond hair that snuck up upon him. The boy took the soldiers hekmet, and as the soldier turned, the boy hit him in the head with his rifle. The soldier fell, but the boy caught him, and placed him on the floor without a sound.  
  
"Gray..."  
  
"They're not mine." The boy wrapped the soldiers cloak around him, pleced the helmet on his head and walked out of sight. As soon as she felt safe, Jacqueline chekced the soldier. He was still breathing, but not long. She drew back to the shadows as the first shots could be heard.  
  
She saw M run, and followed, as did the blond boy, only he didn't notice the three soldiers behind him, something Jacqueline did. The soldiers did not live long. She was about to follow M again, when she saw Dorian standing in front of a soldier. She gasped when the soldier shot Dorian, but she knew nothing would happen. The woman, Mina, did not know. Jacqueline smiled at the expression in her face when Dorian killed the soldier.  
  
The battle was coming to an end, and Dorian cheked the upstairs for survivours. What he found was a girl with bloody knives.  
  
"I see you joined in on the fun."  
  
"Yes." She stared at Dorian, then smiled.  
  
"Master Gray, you should change." Now, Dorian smiled too.  
  
"I know, Jack. I'll go now, as you doubtless know. I want you to clean this mess up. And wait for me until I come back or untill you know I won't." They both looked starteled at this, but Dorian shook it of.  
  
"I will come back."Dorian changed, and went dowstairs, trying not to boast about his immortality to Skinner.  
  
"Where's Mina?"  
  
"Oh, she's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble, I imagine." Mina didn't like that comment, and she picked up her hat while telling Allan that her hips was not of his concern. A soldier ran forwards at that moment, putting a knife to Mina's throat. Jacqueline froze, staring at the knife, but then she noticed something. The womans eyes turned red... She was a vampire. Jacqueline had read it in some of the papers M had left behind. No wonder she could have red eyes. She walked into her room, watching the Leauge waiting for Nautilus. As they walked into the large boat, she put her hand to the window.  
  
"Farewell, Father..." 


	2. One year

I'm back, with the second chapter! As if you hadn't already guessed. Thanks for the reviews!  
  
Black River Witch, I'm glad you liked it!  
  
Sara, thank you for the ideas. I havent decided about her mother yet. Got to read the book first, wich I haven't done. Shame on me!  
  
Graymoon74, I agree, on both. I hate my own spelling mistakes, and try to be as accurate as I can, but English is not my native language (I'm norwegian), and I tend not to see them. I'm not making excuses. It's a fact. I have to get better checking on the words I'm not sure on. I have my dictionary beside me on my desk, an I will make better use of it.  
  
I hope this part is as good as you hope for.  
  
The sun crept over the bedroom floor, and rested on Jacquelines face. She squinted and turned over, but to no use.  
  
"It's summer, it should rain. At least be foggy," she mumbeled and rolled out of bed. She got dressed, and went downstairs, to the mainroom. Only then she remembered what day it was.  
  
"Oh..." It was a year scince she had awoken, shivering and covered in sweat, knowing that her father, Dorian Gray, was dead. After that, she stayed in the house, waiting, not for him, but for someone to confirm what she already knew. It had allways semmed impossible, that Dorian Gray, the immortal, would die. Mabye that was the reason why he said that... 'untill you know I won't come back...' because he felt something, a hint, about his death. Jacqueline shook her head. No, he couldn't be dead. It was some other feeling she had that morning. He would come back, would he not? She lit a candle on the table, and went downstairs, past the blank spot on the wall, and down to the kitchen to get brekfast. She sat in silence, not eating much, but thinking. She searched her mind after memories, mainly about her father. The incident in the main-room, now a year ago, her seventh birthday, when he gave her 'Romeo and Juliet', how he teached her to read when she was two. Things and memories she hadn't thought of in years, stood before her inner eye. Suddenly, the feeling of inner peace was replaced with a sense of danger. She didn't feel alone. Acctually she never felt alone in the house, but now she felt not alone in the wrong way. Someone was in the building with her. She called that sort of people intruders. Or dead, if they didn't run fast enough. The burglar two years ago didn't. When Dorian awoke, the man had no chance.  
  
Jacqueline wasted no more time dwelling in the past, and hurried up the stairs. She briefly touched the space of Dorians portrait, and continued. She stopped outside the mainroom, listening. All she could hear was someone speaking, she heard only the voices, not the words. _I hate intruders._ The thougth flew through her head, and she opened the door. The woices silented, but she didn't hesitate, and walked into the room. It was empty. Jacqueline slowly turned in the middle of the room, suspicious. The house wasn't haunted, she knew that. Woices didn't come from nowhere, not in the Gray-home. She stopped turning, and stood there, in thoughts. Could she be craving company to the extent that she started to hear voices? Was she losing her mind? A movement behind her made her turn, and suddenly the world turned black.  
  
"Nemo, are we sure she still lives here?" Mina stood outside the home of Dorian Gray, eyeing the building carefully.  
  
"She could have moved for all we know." The 'she' Mina was talking about were a girl named Jacqueline, a girl mentioned in some of Moriarty's papers, papers that Skinner found a week ago. They mentioned a girl, working as a householder for Dorian, a girl he adopted. Mina knew they would visit the girl even before they voted over it.  
  
"This is, by any means, the best place to start, Mina. We can find hints to her whereabouts."  
  
"She still lives her, mister an miss 'the glass is half-empty'. She's waiting for him." Skinner walked past Mina and Nemo, and lead way into the house. They walked in silence, and none of them looked at the empty space on the wall, but they could all see the portrait. Mina had showed it to them when she told them about Dorian's death. Mina stopped.  
  
"There's someone upstairs. Probably intruders." Jekyll looked up.  
  
"What are we going to do?" He wasn't prepared for battle, he had none of his vials with him.  
  
"We'll introduce ourselves as friendes of Dorian. It's not that far of. If they attack, we'll do the same." Skinner looked at Mina.  
  
"Friends of Dorian? How low are we going to sink? We're not going to steal something from a child, are we?" Mina sendt Skinner a look that would kill before she went on.  
  
"Lets go. Jekyll, if you didn't bring your potion, Skinner will fight with you." Ignoring the protests from them both, the rest of the group ventured into the room. The intruders froze. The leader, a hautingly beautiful woman, looked up.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Friends of Dorian Gray. I cannot recall ever to have seen you here, miss." Mina smiled at the womans confusion. A man, big, muscular and soldier-like tapped the woman on the shoulder.  
  
"She's gone, Miss. I think I hit her to hard in the head." Sawyer took a closer look behind the man, and saw a girl, dressed in boys-clothes. She sure looked unconscious. The woman stared at the man.  
  
"Now, you big ape, we will have to fight them." Skinner smiled as the man realized what he had said. Then the man smiled.  
  
"I like fights." Skinner couldn't help it.  
  
"That's because you're stupid." Sawyer laughed at that. He knew the trick, get them mad enough to do a mistake. He had done it before, and seen it before. It didn't work this time.  
  
"What, are your head too thick for you too understand?" That worked, and the man charged at Skinner, howling.  
  
"Ooops..." Skinner dropped his hat and coat, and was nowhere to be seen. The fight was a fact.  
  
Mina found herself defending the girl. She, the girl, not Mina, looked a bit like Dorian. She had the same colour on her hair, and possibly the same eyecolour, but that could not be found out before she woke up. The soldiers were badly trained, but their viciousness made up to that. If Hyde had been there, the Leauge would've won already, but Hyde wasn't here, and Jekyll had trouble avoiding the blows at him as it were. Skinner attacked the soldiers that attacked Jekyll. Nemo just fought to take the foes out. Sawyer couldn't get a clear shot, so he started to hit people with his gun. They were all realizing, in one way or another, that they were losing.  
  
Her head hurt. As she opened her eyes, she saw the woman, Mina, defending her. Jacqueline could'nt remember to have seen her I about a year. She rolled over, and rose from the floor. Her head wasn't too good, and the world seemed a bit unstable, but other than that she felt fine. At that moment, Tom gave up upon hitting people, and found his two pistols. He looked straight at Jacqueline and Mina.  
  
"Down!" They dropped to the floor, and he fired at the soldiers around them, which fell as flies. Mina grabbed Jacquelines arm.  
  
"I have an idea." Mina looked at the lit candle, standing next to a bookcase. The girl nodded.  
  
"Okay." Maina stood up, and bats surrounded her. They flew at the candle, and tipped it at the books. The books were dry, and they quickly caught fire. Smoke spread in the room, and the fight was forgotten. Both soldiers and Leauge-members ran outside. The Leauge continued to run.  
  
They didn't stop until they were by the dock Nautilus laid by. They were all coughing, and breathing heavily fro the running. Skinner tuned around, although no one could see it, and looked at the sky, coloured red from the fire.  
  
"I hate fire. Why did you start it, Mina?" Mina looked up.  
  
"Because we were loosing. We were-"  
  
"Hip-deep in trouble?" The suggestion came from Jacqueline. Tom turned to her.  
  
"How come you followed us? Don't you live there?" Jacqueline smiled.  
  
"Not anymore. Besides, I think our brutal little friends stopped outside." She started to cough again. Jekyll looked at her, worried.  
  
"Are you allright? I can help you." She smiled.  
  
"I am fine, thank you. I'll be better in a few minutes."  
  
"That still doesn't explain why you followed us."  
  
"I knew you. I read the files Dorian got from M about you. And when you wake up in the middle of a fight, and someone stands in front of you, defending you, it doesn't take much thinking to guess which team you join." Tom looked at the others. He saw just as much confusion in their faces, so he decided to ask, but Nemo asked first.  
  
"You know who we are, because you read our files?"  
  
"Yes. Captain Nemo, a brilliant scientist. You built the Nautilus. Rodney Skinner, an invisible thief."  
  
"Gentlemansthief."  
  
"I doubt your victims feel the same way. Wilhelmina Harker, born Murray, a scientist and a vampire. Henry Jekyll, the man with two personalitites, doctor, altso known as Edward Hyde, a good fighter, albeit a brute at times. No offense. The last member of the League, special-agent Sawyer, from America. Don't know much about you. But you were not expected." She smiled again. Then she looked at them, one at the time.  
  
"You're one man short."  
  
"Quartermain died."  
  
"I am truly sorry to hear that. The loss must have been hard." Tom didn't answer. Nor did the rest of them. After a short silence, Tom lifted his head.  
  
"Is it normal that a maid reads her employers papers?"  
  
"To be his maid was nothing more than my cover. That way, and people didn't wonder or ask questions. I am Jacqueline Gray, Dorian Gray's illegimate daughter. You can call me Jack." Nemo looked at her.  
  
"That's impossible."  
  
"I find Jacqueline a long name, at times."  
  
"No, I mean that you are his daughter. It would have been mentioned somewhere, someone would have known."  
  
"And that is why he spread the rumor that I was his maid. So no one would know."  
  
"It's logical. He didn't want anyone to know that he had a child. He was ashamed."  
  
"I do not know how my father felt on that point, Sawyer. I know that he did not feel that it was safe for me, or for him, to live together without an explanation."  
  
"See your point." At this point, Skinner could hear sirens.  
  
"It's not that I want to hurry or something, but we should get going." Nemo nodded.  
  
"Agreed. Let's go." Mina looked at Jacqueline.  
  
"We should bring the girl. It seems that she has nowhere to go, and it's partly our fault." Skinner raised an eyebrow, though, of obvious reasons, no one discovered.  
  
"Our fault? How could this be our fault?"  
  
"We burned her home down."  
  
"The key-word here is you, Mina."  
  
"Skinner. The girl is Dorians daugther." Tom looked up, and the realization was written all over his face. The rest of the Leauge understood too, but they stayed silent, all of them. Jack stood with her back to them, not showing any sign of hearing this. She stared at the water. Her voice was unnaturally flat when she spoke.  
  
"Is that your transportation?" Mina smiled.  
  
"Our transportation, if you are willing to join us." The smiled that spread over the girls face made them realize that they had never seen her smile before, not a real smile. For a brief moment, her eyes, som much like Dorians, sparkeled with life and joy, her face looked the age it was supposed to, and she seemed to forget the world and her problems. But only for a moment. She stared at the water again, her face hardening and her eyes growing colder. Tom spoke before he realized what he said.  
  
"You're afraid of water!"  
  
"I'm not afraid of it. I'm terrified of it. This will doubtless be an... intresting experience." Skinner grinned, glad no one could see. Intresting indeed. Nemo frowned, and the others looked at eachother. Scared of water? That would be a challenge.  
  
"Let us go aboard my Lady. We can talk later." Jacqueline didn't show any emotions as they walked onboard the Nautilus, but if somebody had looked close, too close than a normal person could manage, they would've seen a cold smile on her lips. She felt that life was finally beginning for her. Finally. 


	3. Of tales and travels

Yodelo. I turned seventeen today, and I'm delighted! My mother acctually remembered! Better than last year. To those of you who read this later, today is... Maundy Thursday. 8th of April, to be exact. I really wanted to get this chapter finished today. Well, I wanted to get chapter 4 finished today, but I kinda... froze. Some stories just fell into my head and took all the place. I am so sorry. Tell me if I should correct anything.  
  
Kill Mary Sue, I agree that people can be anoying when they are like that. I do not, however, think the would world do the world a favor if they killed themselves. People just get depressed by hearing things like that. No offense, please don't get mad at me. Just trying to say that they may actually do that. And if not, the comment will linger. Trust me, I know.  
  
Rammstein, I have tried to fix the formatting problem. Mabye you'll read this.  
  
Vaudevillian, I know perfectly well about the dialogue-thing. Known since seventh grade. And if you wanted to get a reply on the first one, write something I can reply on. For the record, I did say thanks, that counted you in. By the way, I would never try to give out books in other than norwegian. The translators can handle the rest. That's how REAL editors do it. If my mistakes bugs you, you can point them out for me. That goes for all who reads this. Can't wait to hear from you again, Vaudie.  
  
Crystal, so the word is hydrophobia! Thanks, I couldn't find that in the dictonary. I have tried to fix up the story, 'cause I hate it when they are confusing. Trying to fix the verbs and stuff, one of my friends reads the stories when she's got the time.  
  
Graymoon74, she always smile like that... almost always... she freaks me out... I don't find her evil, but she is after all her fathers daughter. We'll see, in time... hehe  
  
Disclaimer: no, I don't own the LXG. I don't even own a copy... my father does... I own Jacqueline, however.  
  
I have not made dialects, etc. Make them in your head.  
  
All elements in this story is fictional. Any resembelance (is that the word?) to the reality is not intended.  
  
And on with the story, people:  
  
_The woman laid on her back, her eyes staring towards a sky she could not see. The street was covered with blood, the womans blood. Jacqueline stared at the woman, not feeling the knife in her hand, the knife that had sliced her throat. She was about to scream when someone grabbed her shoulder...  
_  
"Jacqueline?" The girl turned around, with a slight hint of panick in her eyes. When she realized where she was, she relaxed. Mina looked at her, and the girl knew what she wanted to ask about.  
  
"It was nothing, miss Harker. Only a memory. One I do not like to think of." Her voice left no doubt in Mina about what kind of memory that was, and she didn't ask. There was some memories she wanted to keep away, herself. Like Dorian's death.  
  
"Dinner is served, miss Gray."

"Call me Jacqueline, or Jack, miss Harker."  
  
"If you call me Mina." The girl nodded, and followed Mina to the diningroom.  
  
Jacqueline didn't eat much. She sat in thoughts, again captured by her own memories, memories she didn't want to think of. She never ate much, anyway. Didn't need to. She was truly her fathers daughter. Skinner's voice brought her back from the depts of her mind.  
  
"What are you thinking of? All the water?" Jacqueline's eyes widened a bit when she remembered, before she took control over her feelings again.  
  
"I'm trying not to think about it, Skinner. It would certainly help if you didn't remind me." She looked at the thief as he fell silent, then she smiled.  
  
"If I could see you, Skinner, I'm sure your face would be red." As the Leauge laughed, she rose from her chair, and walked out of the room.  
  
Jacqueline walked fast, not looking at the crew, knowing they didn't look at her. Her head pounded, her senses were failing, and she felt like she could not breathe. A bad headache, nothing more, but somehow, this headache made her feel sick. Mabye it was the reminder of the water. She sat down in her room, her head in her hands. The time that passed could have been a few minutes or a few hours, she didn't know and didn't care. She just heard a voice from the door.  
  
"Miss Gray, we're surfacing now. Would you like some air?" Jekyll stood by the door, with a worried look on his face.  
  
"I would love to, Jekyll. It would help."  
  
"Headache?"  
  
"Yes, doctor. A rather bad one. Skinners comment did not help."  
  
"He often speak before he think, but I doubt he meant to remind you. It was simply his way of joking."  
  
"I did not find it entertaining."  
  
"I guessed as much. Shall we go?"  
  
"Lead way, doctor."  
  
The sun was setting, and for the first time in her life, Jack could see how beautiful the water could be. She felt no fear at the moment, it was like looking at the Thames from her bedroom window. Thinking of that made her sad. The house she had spent countless years in was gone, as was all her belongings, and the belongings of her father. Dorian...  
  
Was he dead? Her heart said no, but her head said yes. Those two voices mixed together, and she no longer knew. She didn't trust her own feelings, not like this. What daughter would belive that her father would never come back? Jacqueline knew that if he lived, he would eventually look for her. It could take days, or years. She didn't really care. They wouldn't age after all. Time didn't matter.  
  
"What do you think? It's nice, huh?" Sawyer leaned to the rail next to her.  
  
"The sunset is quite breathtaking."  
  
"And what do you think of the boat?"  
  
"She is absolutley amazing. So is the people she carries. All of them." The admiration in her voice surprised Tom, but he still smiled.  
  
"Is the cold Jacqueline Gray finally melting?"  
  
"It'll take days befor I melt, as you put it. Mabye weeks. I haven't met a lot of people. I rareley left the house until you came. Not that I wanted to. I'm no good around people."  
  
"Did your father leave the house?"  
  
"Yes. The first time he left me alone, I was five... I think. He was visiting Eton, for the first time, he said."  
  
"What did you say?" Mina stepped closer, and stared at the girl. It could be possible, but still...  
  
"I remember it well. I could tell he was excited. Not much, though. Only a bit. I remember, because I asked him what I should do while he was away. He gave me 'Hamlet', and told me to read it. I did."  
  
"That's... rare."  
  
"I learnt to read when I was two. I found nothing strange about it. Then."  
  
"And you did later?"  
  
"My father never tried to hide the fact that my chilhood was unusual. It has become a part of who I am, I know no different way. It seems just as natural to me as breathing."  
  
"Yeah... right."  
  
"I don't regret growing up like this, nor would I change it. Belive it if you can, Sawyer."  
  
"You can't have grown up all alone. Not without problems."  
  
"I said earlier that I'm no good with people. Truth is, I can't stand being touched." Sawyer hadn't noticed until she said it, but she had plenty of room around her. He was sure that he had stopped right next to her. She had moved while they were talking.  
  
"It's not something I can help. It's just this feeling... I don't like it. When people get too close, I move if I have the chance. If I'm taken by surprise, I either fight... or freeze."  
  
"You get cold?" Jacqueline looked ay Sawyer, then laughed. Soon, the three of them were laughing together. Jacqueline managed to stop when she realized that the rest of the group was staring at them. Mina and Sawyer stopped just after. Skinner was certainly smiling. She knew he had to smile at this.  
  
"We all heard that conversation, people. I think I have to teach Sawyer how to make a joke. That one was really bad. A bit funny, but really bad. And you," he said poinitng at Jacqueline, "don't you ever smile? I haven't seen you smile on time since we got on this ship. Not even while you laughed." Jacqueline smiled at that. The same cold smile as she had smiled when she got aboard the Nautilus. It was a shadow of a smile, something done out of habit, nothing else. Skinner took a step backwards.  
  
"That's really scary, you know."  
  
"I know," was the girls reply, "that's why I don't smile much."  
  
"That makes perfect sense, Gray."  
  
"Mabye Skinner..." Jacqueline stopped for a moment, thinking, before she turned to Nemo.  
  
"Where are we going?" Nemo didn't smile as he opened the door, and waited for them to go down.  
  
"We are going to Kenya, miss Gray. We have a grave to visit." And cut. I hope this chapter isn't as boring to read as it was to write. Waiting to hear from you all. 


	4. Kenya

I hate it when I can't write. That happens a lot. I'm hoping to be able to update some time in the next two weeks, but I'm not sure. My computer is refusing to cooperate with me, and I'm not good at updating often. Added a c in Jack's name. But you didn't miss that, did you?  
  
Melanie, thanks! I agree that I need more action. Working on that.  
  
Graymoon74, I'm glad you did not find tha chapter boring. Hope the update didn't keep you waiting too long. Only a month... hehe...  
  
Kill Mary Sue, hmm. Well, since you know her, I won't try to argue. You're probably right.  
  
"This is it. Kenya." Jacqueline marked that Nemo didn't sound too happy. None of them looked happy either. She knew it would be natural, considering that their friend, and perhaps leader, laid buried here. The Leauge stood, waiting for one of the others to take the first step, but none dared to take it. Eventually, Jacqueline took it. She walked a few more, turned and waited for the others to follow. They did, but she felt their sorrow. It was like somone had punched her in the face when she realised how strong that emotion was. She knew sorrow well. She had lost her mother, and her father was probably dead. By some strange twist of fate, she never felt a deep sorrow for them. Only a weak... something. She could not describe it, but she recognised the emotion in her comrades.  
  
On thing was certain, the landscpe lacked water to be afraid of. It didn't bug Jacqueline, but Skinner, Sawyer and Jekyll found it dreadful. She could see their discomfort, but only Skinner complained. Sawyer probably wanted to shut up and not make a fool of himself, and Jekyll was a gentleman. Skinner didn't have that kind of 'problems'. His only problem was the heat, and he was not going to let anyone think otherwise.  
  
"Bloody heat. Why on earth is it this hot? We should've stayed in London, where it was nice and foggy," he mumbeled as he walked through a cloud of dust.  
  
"I think, Skinner," Jacqueline observed as she looked around, "that it's this hot because of a heatwave." Sawyer tried not to laugh, and ended up inhaling a lot of dust. Mabye Skinner looked at her. Probably, she would say, by how his hat pointed at her.  
  
"Not funny."  
  
"I know. I simply stated the obvious. It's hotter than usual."  
  
"And why do you think that?"  
  
"I overheard some Englishmen discuss the heatwave with the locals, by the docks." Skinner shook his head, and tried to complain about the heat to Mina. Jacqueline smiled, a real smile. She had more reasons to smile now than ever, and it showed. Jekyll noticed her smile, and smiled as well. Jacqueline didn't notice. She was lost in thoughs again, her eyes told him that she was far away.  
  
_Jacqueline sat in the main-room, reading as her father walked in. She looked up, and could not hide her reaction. What she, for a split-second, had thought of as dirt, was blood. He had blood-spatter in his face, and some stains on his dark, nearly black, clothes too. She placed the book on a table, and rose from the chair.  
  
"What have you been doing?" Dorian looked at her, as calm as ever.  
  
"I did something to break out of this boredom." He smiled, and somehow, it calmed his daughter. She had a "you-should-know-better-look" in her eyes, though.  
  
"But killing?" Dorian had a hint of laughter in his eyes as he answered.  
  
"It wasn't anyone important..."  
_  
"Who was not important?" Jacqueline looked up. She hadn't realised that she spoke out loud. Jekyll looked puzzeled, and she relaxed. It must have been just that sentence.  
  
"Nothing... I just thought of some memories."  
  
"Care to share them?" Jekyll didn't demand it, it was a friendly question.  
  
"I don't have the right words. To speak of these memories would be like disgracing them at the moment." She hoped he setteled with that. Truth was, she didn't want to speak of them at all. Not now, mabye never. It was old memories, twelve years old to exact. She remembered the year of 1888 well, it wasn't boring. It was the most intresting year she could remember, the year of Jack the Ripper. The memory she had been lost in, was the memory of Dorian confessing to have killed Mary Ann Nichols, the first victim of the notorious killer. She smiled as the memory of Dorian asking her for a name to the killer...  
  
_"I like Jack. It's a good name, and well used."  
  
"Should I be angry at that comment?"  
  
"It's common, Jack. That's all I'm saying."  
  
"Yeah, like anyone wouls take Jack the Ripper serious..." Dorian looked up.  
  
"You're smart, Jack. That's a good name for him." Jacqueline felt her face becoming red._  
  
She had loved that time. Not the killings, but people's reations. The tension, the looks... and the atonomy-classes. Jack held back a laugh. She had learned much from those nights with Dorian. He was not patient, they could be discovered at any minute, but she could remember almost every detail. Now, it made her feel sick. That feeling gave her other things to think of. Had she changed that much? At that time she had been like her father, but something woke her up. The memory of a dead woman flashed before her eyes. She shook her head, forcing the memories out of her mind, concentrating on the present. Skinner was still complaining, and Sawyer didn't help when he started to talk about rain. Jacqueline almost laughed when Skinner tried to ask Mia for help. Mia's only reaction was turning her head, and look on him like she hadn't eaten in days. Jacqueline and Skinner were the only ones who didn't laugh, although one could see the laughter in the girl's eyes. The laughter ceased, however, when they could see a small village. They had reched their destination. Jacqueline fell behind the others on purpose. She felt like an intruder.  
  
Mabye that made her notice the lack of people in the village, but she was the first one. As this was her first visit, she didn't comment on it. For all she knew, it could be normal.  
  
"This is a very empty place." Sawyer looked at Nemo, who agreed with a nod. As did the rest. "What the hell has happened –"Skinner never finished the sentence, he noticed a man running towards them. "For Heavens sake, get inside! Don't you know there's a lion on a rampage here!" As he spoke, the lion appeared. Jacqueline had never seen a real living lion before, and stood as petrified. The man ran, but the lion was faster. It slammed into the man's back and threw him away, continuing towards the group. Without even noticing, Jacqeline drew her favourite dagger, a gift from her father, and prepared for battle. Just as the lion came close enough to wound her, several thing happened at once. The lion went for her face, Nemo pulled her out of the animal's reach, and a shot was fired. Jack could not do anything, except stare into the eyes of the creature, fascinated. She wathced as life left them, and they became dead.  
  
Nemo felt the girl become limp in arms, and for a moment he almost thought she was dead. His concern did not last long, as she forced his arms open and took a few steps away from him. As she looked back at him, the wounds in her face healed. She was about to say something but a voice cut her of.  
  
"Damned boy. If he had been a serious hunter, he would have killed the lion at once, not left it with a wound. That kid won't go on a hunt alone for a few years." The voice made them turn, even Jacquline, who had never met him before. It was Allan Quatermain. He smiled for a few seconds when he recognized them.  
  
"Africa did not let me die."  
  
Jack stayed away from the others the rest of the night. They had gotten their leader and friend back, and she didn't want to remind them of one of the people responsible for his death. Not that she feared that. A glance at her reflection in the window reassured her. A perfectly normal face looked back at her. She had the same colour on her hair and eyes as her father, but the similarity stopped there. There was nothing with this girl, this... child, that would suggest that she could be special. She was plain looking, so plain that none would look on her twice. It didn't bother her. People were a menace at best, at least for her. Only a few people were accepted by her, the Leauge being a part of that little group. That acceptance only cane from the knowledge that they were different, as her.  
  
"...but take it easy, Allan, the girl don't like being touched." The voice of Skinner brought her back. Someone stopped right behind her, and she turned her head.  
  
"Good evening, mister Quatermain. If you wouldn't mind, step a bit away. I don't like people getting close to me." The hunter sat down in a chair next to her.  
  
"Physically or emotionally?" Jack looked at him.  
  
"Why do you care, mister Quatermain?" At that, Allan remembered something.  
  
"First meeting usually includes a greeting. I am Allan Quatermain." He held out his hand, but the girl did not take it. She only smiled.  
  
"I am Jacqueline. Jacqueline Gray." She pretended that she didn't notice his glance at the Leauge, or their nods.  
  
"But please, mister Quatermain, call me Jack."  
  
And cut. And there you have the reason for Jacqueline's name. So I could get the Ripper in. Blame Skinner, if anyone should be blamed. As I said, I hope to update next week. Send in your comments, people. And corrections, if I some really stupid mistakes in the language. For the record, I know that lions don't do that sort of things very often. It was an injured animal, and they can do the strangest things. Though I do not belive they would attack a village. See ya later. 


	5. Interlude

I'm terribly sorry, but at this moment I don't know when my next update will be. The reason is my failing connection to the Internet. This posting is don at school, and this is the last day at school, so I will not be able to do it this way. I'm also terribly sorry that I haven't read the reviews you have posted, for the same reason.  
  
Skinner took a deep sip from the bag with water, and gave it back to Jekyll. Then something flashed before his eyes, a picture of the girl in their company, with her dagger, ready to strike at the lion. He had to ask.  
  
"Why did you get ready to fight it? The lion?" Jacqueline looked up.  
  
"It's the only way. I fight with knives and daggers, because it is the only way I can fight. I'm useless with guns or pistols, or in unarmed combat. As to your question, better me than any of you. I can't die." Skinner thought he heard disgust in her voice, but something told him that he should not ask.  
  
"I fought the lion because I wanted to, because I fight things, because I like to kill. Because I'm too much like my father." _Case closed_, Skinner thought as they reached dock. _But I'm still curious._  
  
There. Not very long, but in 15-30 minutes, that's all I can do. 


End file.
